Former Republic of Ireland international Ray Brady passes away

Former Republic of Ireland international Ray Brady has passed away aged 79 after a long illness.

An older brother of international midfielder Liam, Thomas Raymond 'Ray' Brady played with Home Farm as a youth and was signed by Millwall from Dublin side Transport FC in July 1957 as a 20-year-old.

He made 165 appearances over a six-year period, winning the old Fourth Division title in 1962, before moving across London in 1963 to QPR. Ray’s older brother, Pat, also joined QPR from Millwall in 1963 after he had joined him at The Lions in 1959.

Ray made 88 appearances in a three-year spell with QPR and spent two years at Hastings United in east Sussex before returning to Ireland where he finished off his playing career at St Patrick’s Athletic in 1964.

He made six appearances at international level between 1963 and 1964 and was awarded man of the match on his debut in the 0-0 European Championship qualifier draw against Austria in Vienna in September 1963.

He also played the following month in the 3-2 win against the Austrians at Dalymount Park, the last time the Republic of Ireland beat them before last Saturday’s 1-0 win in Vienna.

Writing in his Irish Examiner column on Monday, Liam Brady talked of his brother's ill health while recalling that the match that "turned me totally football crazy".

He wrote: "Although I was only seven at the time, it's a match and an experience which remains vivid in my memory, since not only was it my first time being brought to see Ireland play but, to complete my excitement, my brother Ray was playing in a side which won a thrilling contest 3-2 with a last-minute Noel Cantwell penalty."